He’s described Grizzly Bear as “it on a stick” and joked that Dr Pepper was the official drink of Radiohead. Now in a recent interview the king of subversion, Stephen Colbert, has challenged the vegetarian values of the iconic Steven Morrissey, claiming that The Smiths’ song Meat Is Murder makes murder sound delicious.

That’s only a fraction of the hilarity that ensues as Morrissey’s ‘militant’ persona meets Colbert’s unabashed character. Even when Morrissey tries to keep a straight face, it’s fairly clear that he can’t resist the amusing absurdity of Colbert’s questions as the host asks, “Did you enjoy the Queen’s jubilee?”, “It’s my job as a journalist to find out why you won’t get back together with Johnny Marr … you guys could cash in huge” and, when inquiring if it’s OK to eat animals that have already died, “What about…a pig that’s committed suicide from listening to too many of your songs?”

Colbert even pretends that Johnny Marr is in the studio, but no such reunion takes place, and from Morrissey’s response it would seem that any rumours of The Smiths reuniting are ill-founded. Morrissey takes Colbert’s verbal lashing in stride and goes on to give an admirable performance of People Are the Same Everywhere. The Smiths may never get back together, but at least Stephen Colbert is still on the air…

Watch: Morrissey Interview with Stephen Colbert

Watch: Morrissey – People Are the Same Everywhere – performed live on The Colbert Report